


Bases Loaded

by bessemerprocess



Category: Pundit & Broadcast Journalist RPF (US), Real News RPF, SportsCenter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Sports Broadcasters, ESPN!80sAU, Internship, Other, Sports, intern!Rachel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-03-08
Updated: 2012-03-08
Packaged: 2017-11-01 16:03:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/358693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bessemerprocess/pseuds/bessemerprocess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As far as internships go, Rachel Maddow's at ESPN is the best job ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bases Loaded

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sarken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarken/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Modern Girls & Old-Fashioned Men](https://archiveofourown.org/works/213810) by [sarken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarken/pseuds/sarken). 



> For my 200th posted fic on AO3, I wanted something old school, something that would make me (and hopefully you guys) smile. I also wanted something that would get me writing again. So this is it. Based off a conversation sarken and I had sometime in 2008, this is Rachel, Dan, and Keith as sports commentators at ESPN in a universe just to the left of the 80sAU.
> 
> Beta'd by the most lovely aliya.

Rachel’s official title is intern, but everyone knows she’s really Keith’s. Keith’s what is up for question, she’s not even sure herself, but unlike the rest of the intern pool she doesn’t make coffee and fetch. Well, at least not for anyone who isn’t Keith (well, or Dan, but Dan tries not to ask. He likes to point out that Keith’s already taking enough advantage for the whole building. Of course, he still calls her Jailbait even though she’s finally legal in every sense of the word, so she figures that's not really it at all.)

Instead, Rachel learns to edit tape, and write a voice over, and when there’s no one else in the studio to see, call a game. Add to that the fact that Keith introduces her to every female athlete he knows and it’s possibly the best internship in the history of ever.

“Rachel!” Dan calls, and she hurries over. Dan’s never the one to call, so she’s immediately suspicious, even as she skids to a stop between Dan and Keith. Dan looks at Keith, who is almost bouncing on his toes, and then back at Rachel and sighs. “You up for a challenge, Jailbait?”

Rachel knows the right answer to this question. “Yes.”

“KO here thinks you’re ready for the air,” Dan says while Keith grins.

“Air?”

“Live television, kiddo,” Keith says.

“How?” Interns as a rule do not appear on live television, no matter how cable the show is.

“John Dwyer has food poisoning. He’s puking in the men’s room right now, and we’re on air in thirty. Besides, you wrote the script on forty-six, and you’re a natural with the teleprompter.”

“I... yeah. I mean, yes, yes, of course I’ll do it,” Rachel says and Keith engulfs her in a hug.

***

The segment goes smoothly, even after wardrobe and make-up conspire to make Rachel as uncomfortable as possible. It’s only forty-five seconds long, after all, and she can talk about UConn’s women’s basketball in her sleep.

She waits for Keith and Dan to sign off, vibrating with adrenaline. The minute the cameras are off, both of them rush over, and this time they both hug her.

“That was fabulous, kiddo,” Keith says, still holding on to her.

"It really was,” Dan adds. “Even Mr. Perfect over here wasn’t that good his first time out.”

Rachel just keeps grinning.


End file.
